Legoland Florida Theme Park to Open October 2011

Legoland is the newest addition to the endless list of attractions Florida has to offer tourists and residents. The new theme park, located in Winter Haven, Florida, will open in October 2011 and will feature over 50 rides.

Winter Haven is located about 40 miles from Disney World and is easily accessable from both Orlando and Tampa.

Legoland Florida will offer a much needed boost to Florida's economy with increased tourism and may help stabilize Florida's economy.

Brazilian Tourists Flock to South Florida

In the midst of the South American nation's economic boom, Brazilian tourists are flocking to South Florida and are spending more than other tourists. This increase in visitors is influenced by the strength of Brazil's currency, easier visa approvals and more flights to Florida.

Brazilians are now the third most popular international tourists, after Canadians and Brits. Brazilians also tend to stay longer and spend more than other tourists visiting South Florida. Last year, when the number of tourists to Florida dropped overall, the number of Brazilians visiting the state rose 29% and their spending increased 36%. In the first quarter of this year, South Florida saw 272,000 visitors from Brazil.

Oil Spill May Have Effect on Florida Beach Tourism

Florida has had it rough the last few years, with the real estate crisis and a drop in tourism due to the recession. But it looks like Florida may take another hit with the BP oil spill. A supercomputer simulation (see video below) has projected that the gulf oil spill will make its way to the East coast of Florida and up into the jet stream. This will have a tremendous effect on Florida's Atlantic beaches and could spell trouble for summer tourism. Reports of beach vacation cancellations are already coming in as tourists try to avoid the spill.